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With the retirement of Judge Jean M. Schmidt from her position on the Shawnee County District Court, nine applicants have stepped up to vie for the position.

According to a news release from the Kansas Judicial Center, the 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will convene to interview applicants for the position at 9 a.m. Sept. 15 in the Shawnee County Courthouse, 200 S.E. 7th Street. Interviews for the position will be open to the public.

The applicants are:

■ John Paul Dorr Washburn, who is in private practice with the Washburn Law Office, LLC, and operates the Washburn Mediation Company.

■ Teresa L. Watson, who is in private practice as a partner with Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith, LLP.

■ Derenda Jo Mitchell, who is the director of the sexually violent predator unit with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

■ Joe Robert Little, who is a solo practitioner as Joe Little, PA.

■ Jason E. Geier, who is a senior assistant district attorney with the Office of the District Attorney in the 3rd Judicial District of Kansas.

■ Kelly J. Trussell, who is in private practice with Robert V. Eye Law Office, is district court judge pro tem for the Shawnee County District Court, is an adjunct professor of pretrial advocacy-civil litigation and intensive trial advocacy program with the Washburn University School of Law, and is corporation president and managing partner with Kauffman & Eye.

■ Brett William Berry, who is a judge pro tem with the Shawnee County District Court, general counsel for the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, and is in private practice with The Law Office of Sarah J. Loquist.

■ Justin Louis McFarland, who is deputy general counsel and labor market information services director for the Kansas Department of Labor.

■ Lee James Davidson, who is assistant attorney general with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

While the nine applicants have various qualifications, all of them share an alma mater, having earned their juris doctors from Washburn University School of Law.

According to Kansas law, the judge must be a resident of the district, be at least 30 years old, have actively practiced law for at least five years, and be admitted to practice law in Kansas.

The 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission will pick two or three of the applicants and submit them to Gov. Sam Brownback, who will have 60 days from then to appoint one.

The commission is chaired by Kansas Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert, who oversees the district and can’t vote on the commission, and consists of Toby L. McCullough of Rossville, Daniel W. Crow, Terry E. Beck, Jolene C. Miller, Thomas G. Lemon, and W. Eric Stafford, all of Topeka.

Schmidt will resign the post on Sept. 25, after having held it for 11 years since Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed her.